CN110957593A

CN110957593A - Spring contact pin

Info

Publication number: CN110957593A
Application number: CN201911282062.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 安德鲁·格鲁伯
Original assignee: Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2016-03-08
Filing date: 2016-03-08
Publication date: 2020-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2036-03-08
Also published as: EP3255735A1; CN110957593B; US10404000B2; EP3255735B1; WO2017152959A1; CN109121444B; EP3235063B1; CN109121444A; EP3235063A1; TW201737563A; US20180323529A1

Abstract

A loaded spring contact pin comprising: a sleeve (101); a spring mounted in the sleeve (101); a piston mounted at least partially within the sleeve (101); and a contact element mounted at least partially within the sleeve (101) and configured to contact the sleeve (101) and the piston (107).

Description

Spring contact pin

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application with the application date of 2016, 3, 8 and the application number of 201680080960.0, and the name of the invention is 'spring contact pin'.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a loaded spring contact pin and a method for producing a loaded spring contact pin.

Background

Spring-loaded contact pins, spring-loaded contacts, or spring-loaded pins are contact elements for testing electronic components. Spring loaded contact pins may also be used for releasable electrical plug connections.

The contact is made by the touching of a spring-assisted pin. Other names of this technical term are test pins, test heads, spring contacts or

And (3) a probe.

US2013/0330983a1 discloses a loaded spring contact pin having a sleeve, a spring, an insulating cone and a piston.

In the case of the known spring-loaded contact pins, the piston occasionally tilts in the sleeve, which is the cause of passive intermodulation.

Disclosure of Invention

Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a loaded spring contact pin that reduces passive intermodulation.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a loaded spring contact pin having the features of patent claim 1 or 7 and/or by a manufacturing method having the features of patent claim 14.

Accordingly, the following features are provided:

a loaded spring contact pin comprising: a sleeve; a spring disposed within the sleeve; a piston at least partially disposed within the sleeve; and a contact element disposed at least partially within the sleeve and configured to contact the sleeve and the piston;

a loaded spring contact pin comprising: a sleeve; a spring disposed within the sleeve; a piston at least partially disposed within the sleeve and having a head; and an insulating member disposed in a head-side end region in the sleeve, avoiding contact between the piston and the sleeve; and

the method for manufacturing the loaded spring contact pin, wherein the length of the loaded spring contact pin is 8 mm to 15 mm, and/or the diameter of the loaded spring contact pin is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, comprises the following steps: providing a sleeve; inserting the spring into the sleeve; mounting a contact element in the sleeve, the contact element being designed in particular as a contact ring with contact tongues; and inserting the piston into the sleeve.

The invention is based on the idea of ensuring a uniform contact between the piston and the sleeve in a spring-loaded contact pin.

According to the invention, uniform contact of the piston on the sleeve is ensured by the contact elements contacting the piston and the sleeve over their entire surfaces by means of the contact elements.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, uniform contact of the piston on the sleeve can also be ensured by avoiding contact in the head-side end region of the sleeve and by ensuring lower contact of the piston on the sleeve with a spring.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the contact element is designed as a contact ring, in particular with elastic contact tongues. The resilient contact tongues ensure a completely uniform contact of the sleeve with the piston even when lateral forces are applied, which further improves the uniform contact. Furthermore, the resilient contact tongues keep the piston in the centre of the contact ring, in such a way that the resilient contact tongues produce a certain tolerance compensation.

Embodiments and improvements of the invention become apparent by referring to the figures, the further dependent claims and the description.

According to another preferred embodiment, the insulating member is arranged in the sleeve between the piston and the spring, so that contact between the underside of the piston and the spring or the sleeve is avoided.

According to another preferred embodiment, the insulating part is made of plastic, glass or ceramic, which have particularly advantageous sliding and manufacturing properties. The advantageous sliding properties of the insulating part reduce the spring force required for the contacting and positively influence the service life of the spring-loaded contact pin.

According to another preferred embodiment, the piston is arranged in the bore of the insulating part, whereby a possible tilting of the piston is further avoided.

According to another preferred embodiment, the piston is made of wire and is threaded at the spring side end, which saves manufacturing steps. The wires can be made of different materials and have different diameters, so that low cost and high benefit can be realized. Furthermore, the handling of the wires can be particularly simple in a standardized production process.

The threads on the spring side end of the piston secure the piston in the insulating member. Preferably, the insulating member has a thread corresponding to the thread of the piston. A thread is understood to be a recess, for example a helical or circular recess. A plurality of spiral and/or circular recesses in different directions may be superimposed.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the length of the loaded spring contact pin is between 8 mm and 15 mm, in particular between 10 mm and 12 mm, and/or the diameter of the loaded spring contact pin is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, in particular between 1.3 mm and 2 mm. With said dimensions, a loaded spring contact pin can be provided which is particularly advantageous in terms of performance.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a retaining element is formed in the head-side end region of the sleeve, which retaining element serves to retain the insulating component relative to the sleeve. The holding element can be designed as an inclined web (web) which fixes the insulating part in the sleeve.

According to a preferred alternative embodiment of the invention, the contact element is designed as a circular ring with inclined contact tongues. The spring and the piston are arranged inside the ring and the inclined contact tongue. The sleeve at least partially encloses the contact tongues. In this way, a signal or current essentially runs on the contact element. Thus, the area within the contact tab is substantially free of grease. Therefore, the insulating member is not an absolutely necessary part of the design of the present invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the piston has a step configured to interact with a corresponding internal abutment element of the sleeve in order to retain the piston in the sleeve. More preferably, the sleeve has a guide surface on an inner surface corresponding to the piston. This provides guidance for the piston and prevents the piston from tilting in the spring-loaded contact pin.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the contact element has a latching element which is configured such that it latches to the sleeve. The latching elements can be designed, for example, as claws.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is made of plastic.

The above embodiments and modifications may be combined with each other in any form, where appropriate. Further possible embodiments, refinements and implementations of the invention also include combinations of features of the invention not explicitly mentioned above and below, which have been described with regard to exemplary embodiments. In particular, the person skilled in the art will also add personal opinion as an improvement or supplement to the respective basic forms of the invention.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments provided in a schematic drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a spring-loaded contact pin according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a spring-loaded contact pin according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a spring loaded contact pin according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a contact element of the loaded spring contact pin according to the invention and FIG. 3;

fig. 5 shows a sleeve of a loaded spring contact pin according to the invention and fig. 3.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention. Which illustrate embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the mentioned advantages are apparent from the figures. Elements in the drawings figures are not necessarily shown to scale.

Identical, functionally similar elements, features and components, and those having the same function, are given the same reference numerals in each case in the figures.

Detailed Description

Although the invention has been fully described above by means of preferred exemplary embodiments, it is not restricted thereto but can be modified in many different ways.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a loaded spring contact pin 100 according to the invention. The loaded spring contact pin 100 has a sleeve 101, a fastening element 103 for fastening the loaded spring contact pin (the fastening element 103 is designed as a bolt in fig. 1), a spring 105, an insulating part 117, a piston 107, a contact element 111, the contact element 111 in fig. 1 being designed as a contact ring 105 with a spring-loaded contact tongue 113.

The bolt 103 serves to anchor the spring-loaded contact pin 100, for example, in a printed circuit board or a housing.

In fig. 1, a bolt 103 is inserted into the sleeve 101 and fastened thereto. However, it is conceivable that the bolt 103 and the sleeve 101 are manufactured from one piece.

A spring 105 is arranged inside the sleeve 101. In the untensioned state, the spring 105 moves the insulating part 117, the piston 107 and the contact element 111 towards the head-side end of the bushing 101. When a loaded spring contact pin 100 is inserted, the spring 105 is compressed, causing the component to move back towards the bolt 103.

In fig. 1, the piston 107 is arranged in the bottom region inside the insulating member 117. The profile of the insulating member 117 is designed to correspond to the internal profile of the sleeve 101 so as to avoid as much as possible tilting of the insulating member 117 relative to the sleeve 101. In the bottom region of the piston 107, there is a thread 119. The bottom region of the piston 107 may in particular have a plurality of thread profiles, for example opposite thread profiles. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a multi-thread profile means that the plurality of spirals have different parameters, such as height, radius, angle, etc.

The piston 107 is disposed in a bore of the insulating member 117. It is contemplated that the insulating member has a thread within the bore that positively couples to the piston thread.

In fig. 1, the contact ring 115 is in contact with the piston 107 and the sleeve 101. Furthermore, the resilient contact tongue 113 is angled in such a way that: they contact both the piston 107 and the sleeve 101. Depending on the force applied to press the contact tabs 113 on the sleeve 101 and on the piston 107, the contact ring 115 does not necessarily contact the sleeve 101 or the piston 107 completely.

In fig. 1, the head 109 of the piston 107 has a polygonal geometry. Those skilled in the art are familiar with: the head geometry may be adjusted as required for a particular application. The piston 107 is in particular manufactured from a plurality of individual components. However, as an alternative, a one-piece piston according to fig. 2 can also be used.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a spring-loaded contact pin 200 according to the invention.

The spring-loaded contact pin 200 according to the invention in fig. 2 has a fastening element 203, a sleeve 201, a spring 205, a piston 207 and an insulating part 211.

Fastening element 203 serves to fix loaded spring contact pin 200 on a printed circuit board or in a housing, for example. In fig. 2, the fastening element 203 and the sleeve 201 are made of one piece.

A spring 205 is disposed within the sleeve 201. In the untensioned state, the spring 205 displaces the insulating portion 211 and the piston 207 towards the head-side end of the sleeve 201. When the loaded spring contact pin 200 is inserted, the spring 205 is compressed, so that the component is displaced backwards towards the fastening element 203.

The piston 207 is inclined at its spring side end to ensure that the piston contacts the sleeve as firmly as possible.

In fig. 2, the piston 207 is made in one piece and its lower part is arranged inside the sleeve 201, its neck being overmoulded by an insulating part 211, and also having a head 209. Alternatively, the insulating portion 113 can also be designed as an O-ring or C-shaped insulating portion, which is clamped onto the neck.

Further alternatively, a multipart piston according to fig. 1 can also be used.

The insulating portion 211 is arranged to avoid an upper contact between the piston 207 and the sleeve 201. Instead, a lower contact between the sleeve 201 and the piston 207 should be ensured.

The retaining element 213, which is designed as a web in fig. 2, is integrally formed at the upper end on the sleeve 201. For example, the web may be manufactured in one manufacturing step, e.g. rolling or bending a sleeve.

Fig. 3, 4, and 5 are generally explained as follows.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a loaded spring contact pin 300 according to another alternative embodiment.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a contact element 311 according to the invention and fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the plastic sleeve 301 according to the invention and fig. 3.

The loaded spring contact pin 300 has a plastic sleeve 301, a fastening element 303 designed as a bolt, a spring 305, a piston 307 and a contact element 311.

The plastic sleeve 301 has an abutment element 319. Abutment member 319 interacts with step 317 of piston 307. Abutment member 319 prevents piston 307 from being pushed too far upward by spring 305. The plastic sleeve 301 has three guide surfaces 321 for guiding the piston 307. The guide surface 321 serves to guide the piston 307 when there is axial movement.

In the plugged-together state, the piston 307 is normally urged by the spring 305 against the abutment element 319 of the plastic sleeve. The characteristics of the spring 305, in particular the spring travel and the spring rate, are decisive for the plug force of the spring contact 300 to be applied. The spring travel of loaded spring contact pin 300 is approximately 1 millimeter. The spring 305 is designed as a coil spring wound around a bolt. The piston 307 has a recess 328 corresponding to the spring 305. Spring 307 is placed over recess 328, spring 305.

The fastening element 303 and the bolt pass through the notch portion 325 of the contact element 311. Thereby, the fastening element 303 forms an abutment for the contact element 311.

The contact element 311 comprises a base region designed as a ring and a contact tongue 313 which is formed integrally with the ring 315. The ring 315 includes a hole 325 sized to correspond to the bolt. The ring diameter is dimensioned such that the piston 307, the bolt, the spring 305 are arranged radially within the contact element 311. The contact tongue 313 is bent radially inward in an upper region in order to make contact with the piston 307. In this way, tolerance compensation is provided at the same time by adapting the contact tongues 313 to the contour of the piston 307 or to the inner contour of the sleeve 301.

List of reference numerals

100 loaded spring contact pin

101 sleeve

103 fastening element

105 spring

107 piston

109 head

111 contact element

113 contact tongue

115 contact ring

117 insulating part

119 screw thread

200 loaded spring contact pin

201 sleeve

203 fastening element

205 ring

207 piston

209 head

211 insulating part

213 holding element

300 loaded spring contact pin

301 sleeve

303 fastening element

305 spring

307 piston

311 contact element

313 contact tongue

315 circular ring

317 step

319 adjoining element

321 guide surface

323 latch element

325 holes

328 recess

Claims

1. A loaded spring contact pin (300) comprising:

a sleeve (301);

a spring (305) disposed within the sleeve (301);

a piston (307) disposed at least partially within the sleeve (301); and

a contact element (311) arranged at least partially within the sleeve (301) and configured to be in contact with the sleeve (301) and/or the piston (307).

2. Spring-loaded contact pin according to claim 1, wherein the contact element (311) is designed as a contact ring (315) with a resilient contact tongue (313).

3. The loaded spring contact pin of claim 1, wherein said loaded spring contact pin has a length of 8 millimeters to 15 millimeters and a diameter of 0.5 millimeters to 3 millimeters.

4. The loaded spring contact pin of claim 1, wherein said loaded spring contact pin has a length of 10 millimeters to 12 millimeters and a diameter of 1 millimeter to 2 millimeters.

5. A loaded spring contact pin according to claim 1, wherein the contact element (311) is designed as a circular ring (315) which has an inclined contact tongue (313) and which is in contact with the piston (307).

6. A loaded spring contact pin according to claim 5, wherein the piston (307) has a step (317) configured to interact with a corresponding inner abutment element (319) of a sleeve in order to retain the piston in the sleeve, and the sleeve has a guide surface (321) on an inner surface corresponding to the piston.

7. A loaded spring contact pin according to claim 5, wherein the contact element (311) has a latching element (323) configured such that it latches to a sleeve.

8. The loaded spring contact pin of claim 7, wherein the sleeve is made of plastic and has a diameter of 2 mm to 5 mm, the loaded spring contact pin having a contact force of at least 0.3N.

9. The loaded spring contact pin of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of plastic and has a diameter of 3 mm to 4 mm, the loaded spring contact pin having a contact force of at least 0.5N.

10. Method for manufacturing a loaded spring contact pin according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:

providing a sleeve (301);

inserting a spring (305) into the sleeve (301);

-mounting a contact element (311) in the sleeve (301), the contact element being a contact ring (315) having a contact tongue (313);

the piston (307) is inserted into the sleeve (301).